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April 14, 2025 In Books, Textile Art

How to Create a Workshop

                      

 

 

 

 

If you have ever considered teaching a creative workshop but don’t know where to start, help is at hand with this new book Teaching Creative Workshops in person and online by Patricia van den Akker from The Design Trust.

Sometimes these books can be more image led than practical, but not this one. It is jam packed with advice from beginning to end. Starting with Why teach? Through to What, How and Where to teach it covers all aspects to planning your own teaching program. It then covers the all important costing, pricing and getting paid. There are 15 case studies as well as tips on a huge range of topics including marketing, intellectual property and equipment required to get you started. Overall this is a valuable handbook for those considering the idea through to those who already teach but may want some handy hints or advice.

Teaching Creative Workshops in Person and Online by Patricia van den Akker from https://www.thedesigntrust.co.uk is published by Herbert Press https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/discover/superpages/non-fiction/herbert-press/

 

March 17, 2025 In Art, Textile Art

Liz Miller exhibition

 

Liz Miller – Portal 03 (Objects of Beauty), Assorted objects/fragments found along roadsides and in ditches, paint, paracord, zip ties

74” x  52” x 16” d, 2024; Portal 01 (Objects of Beauty), Assorted objects/fragments found along roadsides and in ditches, paint, paracord, zip ties, 69” x 57” x 8” d, 2024: Portal 02 (Objects of Beauty), Assorted objects/fragments found along roadsides and in ditches, paint, paracord, zip ties, 70” x 41” x 9” d, 2024; Detail of Portal 2. Photography by Seth Dahlseid.

 

 

Liz Miller is an American textile artist and her colourful and bold art textiles shine like a beacon of optimism. It is almost impossible to view the colour combinations and dynamic shapes and not feel decidedly more cheerful. Based in Southern Minnesota, she scoured ditches and the sides of roads for debris using it as armatures in her latest work entitled Portals. Encoroprating this debris and playground equipment into her work creates “a counter-narrative to contemporary culture. This fantasy-based lens allows for mundane objects to have new significance in an era where it sometimes feels like hope and possibility has been, quite literally, abandoned.” I interviewed Liz a few years ago and you can read her interview here 

 

You can see Portals: New Work by Liz Miller at RACA (Rural America Contemporary Art) Gallery, Mankato, MN USA, March 14-Apr 1, 2025. For more information visit https://www.lizmiller.com/

March 10, 2025 In Exhibitions, Textile Art

Barbara Long exhibition

 

 

 

 

 

Images from Stairway to Heaven exhibition by Barbara Long at Ruup & Form

 

Stairway to Heaven is Barbara Long’s first solo exhibition in the UK. Taking centre stage in the gallery is her immersive installation Stairway to Heaven constructed from repurposed t-shirts and wool which symbolises endurance and continuity. Her more intimate pieces include Kitchen Sink Drama, One Darned Thing which she made after clearing her mother’s home. Taking a format and stitching associated with 18th century embroidered samples and using dishcloths and dusters aged with years of use reflects the ways in which we ‘store, suppress, or reshape memories.’ Barbara is a British artist living in Madrid and the darning, embroidery and installations are both playful and poignant.

 

Stairway to Heaven is on until 29th March at Rupp & Form, 7 Tilney Court, London. For more information visit https://ruupandform.com/ and https://www.barbaralong-art.com/

March 3, 2025 In Textile Art, Uncategorized

Tapestry exhibition by Erin M. Riley

Tapestries from Erin M. Riley Look Back At It

 

 

If you have an interest in contemporary tapestry art you will know the work of American artist Erin M. Riley. She has been weaving for over twenty years and her work is instantly recognisable through her hard-hitting subject matter, colour palette and compositions which are often a collage of numerous images.  Erin’s first solo show in Europe is at Mother’s Tankstation in collaboration with P.P.O.W gallery and I went to see it at the weekend.

Erin’s work has a huge sense of gravitas. Tapestry is one of the slowest forms of textile art and the attention to detail is phenomenal. Text and curves are notoriously difficult to weave and here they appear effortless. The imagery creates a multi-layered narrative from Erin’s life experiences and the colours which Erin hand dyes reinforce the serious nature of the subject matter. Constructed from rug wool, often from old mills, the thickness of the weaving has a physicality enhancing the ‘weight’ of the imagery.

The exhibition has been so well received it has been extended for another week, so if you are in London make the trip to see it and experience the impact of this incredible work.

 

 

Erin M. Riley | Look Back At It is exhibiting at Mother’s Tankstation until 8th March. For more information visit https://www.motherstankstation.com/exhibitions/ and https://erinmriley.com/home.html

 

 

November 18, 2024 In Books, Textile Art

Fleur Woods The Untamed Thread

Images taken from the book Fleur Woods The Untamed Thread.

 

Fleur Woods is a textile artist from New Zealand who uses embroidery and mixed media in her art inspired by nature. I missed out on the first print run of her gorgeous book ‘The Untamed Thread,’ but thankfully the second print run has just been released.

Published on tactile matt paper by Koa Press, it is a visual delight. It offers inspiration for anyone with an interest in art textiles from emerging hobbyists through to established artists. Read Fleur’s story to becoming an artist, understand how she creates, follow her guidance or simply use the book as a starting point for your own practice. The subtitle for the book is ‘slow stitch to soothe the soul & ignite creativity,’ and this is exactly what the book does. Slow stitch is celebrated, rules are discouraged and playing with materials is encouraged.

Fleur’s home and studio are in the South Island in Aotearoa New Zealand and stunning seasonal landscapes are interspersed through the 272 pages.

Fleur often teaches workshops (click here to see the review I did of her course for Fiber Arts Take Two) and her warmth and generosity in sharing knowledge is infectious. Her encouraging words will make you want to pick up a needle, paintbrush or both. Although this is such a beautiful book and a joyful read, it’s a gorgeous book for anyone.

 

For more information visit https://www.fleurwoodsart.com/  or Instagram  @fleurwoodsart

or Koa Press https://www.koapress.co.nz/

 

November 11, 2024 In Textile Art

Karen Nicol’s latest textile exhibition

 

If you are in London before November 29th, you are in for a treat as textile artist Karen Nicol is exhibiting her latest work. For the first time both Karen and her husband Peter Clark are exhibiting together. ‘Two of a Kind,’ is a gorgeous exhibition featuring an array of animal profiles in Karen’s luxurious textiles and Peter’s captivating paper collage. Karen has worked with clients including Alexander McQueen, Lulu Guinness and Jasper Conran to name a few, and it is easy to see why when you view her exquisite embroidery, shimmering textures and gentle colour palettes.

 

Two of Kind is exhibiting at Air Contemporary Gallery, 4 Ham Yard, London, W1D 7DT until 23rd November. To see more of Karen’s work visit www.karennicol.com or @karennicolstudio For future details of the exhibition visit www.air-contemporary.com or  @aircontemporarygallery